Computer help required please

Post by **admiral51** » 26 Dec 2009, 16:46

Hi all
My PC running XP has given up the ghost,cant get it to even want play

(and i have tried the trusted give it a kick treatment

)

I have salvaged from the loft my old PC running ME but im struggling to find some security/anti virus software to put on it whilst i decide what next to do ie repair or replace

Any ideas as to what good free software to use is out there that will run on an ancient OS

Cheers

Colin

Post by **myglaren** » 26 Dec 2009, 17:10

You might struggle to get AV software for anything older than XP. On the other hand most nasties aren't interested in older operating systems either, just use it with care and you should be OK for a while at least.

What symptoms did the other PC display. My first suspect would be the power supply, easy and cheap to replace unless you want a high spec one.

ETA:
I'm currently reinstalling XP on my son's laptop and see that there is a version of Clam for ME.

It also looks as though there could be an Avast! download too.

I was looking for Microsoft Security Essentials and Microsoft's own Bing on IE churned up a hopeless load of old rubbish but Google did a much better job

deian · Post by **deian** » 26 Dec 2009, 17:49

Avast! is good, spotted all the baddies coming through on my pc. Althought not everything.

I would also recommend Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware for anything Avast! can't get rid of, failing that Trojan Remover, failing that, ditch windows and go to Linux.

A dead computer could be anything, power supplies are a favourite. Or it could be the main switch (on the front) not sending the switch on signal to the motherboard to power the rest up. I assume the switch is on at the power supply (near where the main plug goes in to the computer), also the fuse on the plug in the wall.

How is the battery on the motherboard?

Good luck.

Post by **myglaren** » 26 Dec 2009, 18:03

deian wrote:Avast! is good, spotted all the baddies coming through on my pc. Althought not everything.

I would also recommend Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware for anything Avast! can't get rid of, failing that Trojan Remover, failing that, ditch windows and go to Linux.

I'm pleased you said that. Usually my theme tune

A dead computer could be anything, power supplies are a favourite. Or it could be the main switch (on the front) not sending the switch on signal to the motherboard to power the rest up. I assume the switch is on at the power supply (near where the main plug goes in to the computer), also the fuse on the plug in the wall.

How is the battery on the motherboard?

Good luck.

Should still boot with a dead battery after a halt on POST.

Homer · Post by **Homer** » 26 Dec 2009, 22:15

admiral51 wrote: I have salvaged from the loft my old PC running ME

Depending on the specs you might be better off putting a version of Linux on it, then you don't need to worry about protection.

I use Ubuntu on a few of my PCs.

deian · Post by **deian** » 26 Dec 2009, 23:09

Us Citroen people are the Linux type (some us don't know it yet), we like the different, the sensible, the control, the safety, blah blah blah!

I can vouch for Ubuntu, the latest version is flawless on my 5yr old Dell XPS.

Post by **admiral51** » 27 Dec 2009, 00:13

As you may have guessed me and computers are not that well aquainted

The original PC went into hibernation mode and would not respond to pressing of keys or the main power button.The main power button would not switch the PC off either so it was duly unplugged and now i get nothing although i know its not a power lead problem as im using the same lead to power the ancient PC

Is it possible/easy for a novice to swap the power button for a new one just as a cheap go at fixing it.

I have installed Avast! as a temp measure but i am intrigued by the idea of putting a different OS onto this PC.As it came with ME pre installed how easy is it to actually changed the OS

Cheers

Colin

deian · Post by **deian** » 27 Dec 2009, 21:20

Linux?... very easy! Beware, linux is like an xm, when they work they work wonderfully, but when you mess about with the internals they will have a spaz attack.

A way to power off a 'stateless' computer is by holding onto the main switch, now are u sure it wasn't the display that wasn't working?

Post by **admiral51** » 27 Dec 2009, 21:43

deian wrote:
A way to power off a 'stateless' computer is by holding onto the main switch, now are u sure it wasn't the display that wasn't working?

No not the display

Pressing and holding the power button in did absolutely nothing just had an orange light laughing at me.Switched it off at the mains and then nothing

Colin

citroenxm · Post by **citroenxm** » 27 Dec 2009, 21:50

Avira Antivir Ive put on my Desktop, Laptop, and mums computer - its free, does NOT slow the machine down and is fine in the back ground!

Yea! Linux Rules!! Ubuntu is fabulus!!!!! I have it, but curently not useing it..

Paul

deian · Post by **deian** » 27 Dec 2009, 21:55

me neither, i'm stuck on itunes with windows, sad

citroenxm · Post by **citroenxm** » 27 Dec 2009, 21:56

I dont get ROBBED of stupid money for EXCELLENT apple stuff...

I can cope and understand things enough to be able to do it with a "Normal" mp3 player, and use real player

Paul

Post by **CitroJim** » 27 Dec 2009, 22:46

Linux gives me a headache

I tried it once and didn't get on with it at all.

But then, I'm a dyed in the wool Windows man. Been working with it ever since Windows NT4 was released and everything I do professionally is Windows based.

All I know is that XP rocks. You can keep (especially) Vista and Windows 7. XP is now very mature and stable. Quite why MS wanted to discontinue it rather than build on its strengths is quite beyond me.

And why they felt the need to significantly change the user interface in Windows Server 2008 is beyond my comprehension too. But, cynically, I guess it keeps the IT training institutions in a job...

Sid_the_Squid · Post by **Sid_the_Squid** » 28 Dec 2009, 00:01

I'm a bit of a windows fan-boy too, being a C# programmer one might expect that really

Thats not for want of trying, gave many linux distros a go, a few years back (before ubuntu), even tryed OSX for a few months, very user friendly OSX but a bit lack of office & visual studio, upsets me.
Still on XP everywhere, its a good OS, windows 7 is looking really good though, not upgraded yet.

To address the issue in hand, I'd defiantly say get rid of ME, worse version of windows by far, even if you leave for the dark side, its still better than ME.
The power supply is a good place to start looking for faults, hopefully its a straight swap option. power button could be a fault option, trace the wires inside the case back to the motherboard, unplug the little two prong connector and short the connection yourself, this is basically what the power button is doing, if that doesn't work its not the button at fault. As Steve says a dead battery on the mobo and it will still POST

Homer · Post by **Homer** » 28 Dec 2009, 01:40

CitroJim wrote:Linux gives me a headache I tried it once and didn't get on with it at all.

How long ago? If it was more than 12 months then you should try it again, things move much faster in the Linux world than the MS world.

All I know is that XP rocks. You can keep (especially) Vista and Windows 7. XP is now very mature and stable.

You are kidding me, yes?

Mature and creaking at the joints more like. And the only time it's stable is when it's showing you the BSOD.

Vista had it's issues but wasn't really deserving the bad reception it got, mainly because people expected everything to work with it straight away, forgetting how little worked with XP when it first arrived... and how little still works with XP without 3rd party drivers and software.

Windows 7 is simply fantastic at the side of XP.

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Computer help required please

Computer help required please

Re: Computer help required please